Cincinnati Reds #26 Prospect: RHP Wyatt Strahan

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The 2015 season got out to a strong start for Wyatt Strahan. He made his debut on April 11th for the Dayton Dragons and tossed 5.2 shutout innings against West Michigan with three walks and two strikeouts. In his next start he would allow two runs in 6.0 innings with a walk and three strikeouts. The third start of the season was a rough one as the right hander allowed four runs in 4.0 innings with two walks and a strikeout. The final start of the month would be a nice rebound as he was charged with only one unearned run over the course of 5.0 innings with a walk and seven strikeouts. For the month he would post a 2.61 ERA in 20.2 innings with seven walks and 13 strikeouts.

May got out to a nice start. Strahan allowed a run over 5.0 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. His next time out was one of the more interesting starts of the season. He tossed 5.0 hitless innings, but allowed a run thanks to six walks in he game. That was followed up with a 3.0 inning start where he was charged with three unearned runs and a single earned run with three walks and three strikeouts. He would rebound with a strong 6.0 innings the next time out, allowing just one earned run with a walk and five strikeouts. On May 24th there were some sruggles as the righty allowed four earned in 6.0 innings. In the final start of May he would toss 5.1 innings with two earned runs, three walks and seven strikeouts. For the month he would post a 2.97 ERA in 30.1 innings without allowing a home run. He did walk a high rate of hitters with 17, but he struck out 30.

Things got out to a solid start in June with 5.0 innings of one run baseball. That was followed up with three runs over 6.0 innings against Wisconsin on the 10th with two walks and six strikeouts. Beloit scored four runs in 6.0 innings against Strahan with three walks and five strikeouts. The next time out he gave up three earned runs in 6.0 innings with a walk and three strikeouts. June would be completed with perhaps his best start of the season to that point. He would allow just one run over 8.0 innings without a walk and with six strikeouts. For June he would post a 3.48 ERA in 31.0 innings with eight walks and 23 strikeouts. He really cut back on his walk rate from the previous two months in June.

His success at the end of June carried forward into July. On the 1st of the month he would allow two runs in 8.0 innings with five strikeouts. That was followed up by another strong outing, allowing just one run over 7.0 innings against BowlingGreen with a walk and five strikeouts. Lansing would be the next team to run into the hot stretch for Strahan as he tossed 6.0 shutout innings against them on the 11th. West Michigan got to Strahan for three earned runs in 6.0 innings with two walks and four strikeouts. The righty would face them again in his next start and would only allow an earned run in 6.0 innings with two walks and four strikeouts. The final start of July wasn’t strong as he would allow three runs in 4.0 innings on eight hits and two walks. Overall July was very successful as he would post a 2.43 ERA in 37.0 innings with 10 walks and 28 strikeouts while allowing just two home runs.The improved walk rate from June continued into July.

In his first start of August, Strahan would set a season high with nine strikeouts against South Bend over the course of 7.0 innings where he allowed three runs. Over his next three starts he would allow just three total runs in 19.2 innings. On the 26th at Lake County he would allow three runs in 6.2 innings with three walks and three strikeouts. That was followed up with another start against Lake County where he’d toss 5.0 innings with two earned runs allowed and record six strikeouts. On September 5th Strahan would give up two runs over 7.0 innings with a walk and nine strikeouts. In the final five weeks of the season he would post a 2.58 ERA in 45.1 innings with just 11 walks and 38 strikeouts as he continued his turn around in limiting the walks.

Wyatt Strahan had a a consistent season when it comes to his ERA with only June’s 3.48 mark being above 3.00 for any given month of the season. He did show improvement over the season though. In April and May he combined to walk 10.4% of opposing batters. The rest of the way he would walk just 6.2% of hitters he faced.

ERA

IP

H

HR

BB

K

WHIP

2.79

164.1

158

10

53

132

1.28

Scouting Report

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Fastball | The pitch works in the low 90’s and touches 94 at times. It’s got good movement on both planes, showing sinking action and armside run.

Curveball | The best pitch that Strahan brings to the table. It’s an above-average pitch that flashes itself as a plus offering at times in the low 80’s.

Change Up | The change up is his third pitch, working in the low 80’s. It has some fading action to it and is an average offering.

The right hander has had some control concerns in the past and they showed up in the first part of 2015, but he made some adjustments and saw his walk rate drop significantly as the season went along. He gets good movement on all of his pitches, which could be part of the reason he’s struggled at times to control them all. How his control plays in the long run could determine whether he fits into the back end of a rotation or winds up in the bullpen where his stuff could play up with a potentially plus curveball and a good moving fastball.

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3 Responses

I saw Strahan in both May and August and he looked much improved later in the year. It could have been as simple as I caught him on a bad night early and a good night late, but when I saw him in August he was commanding the zone and striking out batters with both the fastball and the curveball. I initially thought he’d only be a bullpen arm at best, but if he can be more consistent with what I saw later, then he may have a shot at sticking as a starter. It’ll be tough, given the Reds depth.

Like the rest of the organization if the Dragons could have hit they would have won the Midwest League in a run-a-way. Starting pitching was tremendous.
Unfortunately for Wyatt he was over shadowed by Mahle and Antone. I believe Wyatt could be a solid ##3 and a real innings eater. I think the hole staff benefitted from working with Tom Browning. Work quickly, pound the strike zone and don’t throw same pitch twice in an at Bat. Great frame to become an innings eater. Nice loose motion as well.

Just seems solid all around and there is nothing wrong with that. I always like following guys who can become valuable trade targets for other teams looking for reliable #4-5 starters, or end up in our own bullpen.